A crippled economy has sent droves of unemployed and underemployed people to fairs nationwide, with many reporting record numbers of applicants to tear tickets, serve food and clean up after crowds.

Iowa's state fair closed most of its hiring weeks earlier than usual. Colorado's fair is finished hiring but still had more than 50 people a day trying to apply as the fair opened last week. In Indiana, about 2,300 people -- at least twice as many as usual -- applied for 800 jobs.

"And the nice thing about it for us is that we got, I guess you could say, many overqualified candidates," said Andy Klotz, a spokesman for the Indiana State Fair.

In Minnesota, more than 10,000 people applied for the fair's 3,000 jobs. At the same time more people were applying, however, fair vendors intent on keeping costs down were requesting far fewer employees than in years past.

In addition, more experienced fair workers were returning. The fair had room for only 1,250 new employees, about one-third the number of last year.

Briggs lives in the Twin Cities suburb of Mendota Heights with his wife and two stepchildren. He lost his job last September, and he's found few openings in the financial sector. Over dinner in June, his wife suggested he apply for a job at the fair, which he hadn't been to since childhood.

"It'll get you out of the house, and you'll be busy for 12 straight days," Briggs recalled her saying.

After a visit to the state fair's employment center, he got an offer. Though the family still has his wife's income as a regulatory analyst, Briggs said his fair paycheck has given their budget "some breathing space."

"We have a mortgage to pay and mouths to feed," he said.

As the fair opened its 12-day run last week, Josh Chaika was working a day shift as a custodian.

Chaika, 27, signed up to work for the first time this year. He has a part-time job for 30 hours a week, but when he saw a newspaper advertisement for fair jobs, he decided to apply for the extra cash.

He was surprised when he heard about the length of the waiting list.

"I didn't think it would be that tough," he said.

Jerry Hammer, the general manager of Minnesota's fair, said it's not always like this.

"I've seen other years where we're telling staff to go home and tell your friends and neighbors" workers are needed, he said.

The high demand for state fair jobs is occurring at a time when attendance is up as more people cut back on travel and look for attractions close to home.

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